Monday, August 10, 2009

The price of gasoline is set to go up by as much as P2 per liter effective Tuesday, oil players announced on Monday.

At 12:01 a.m., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. is also expected to increase the prices of diesel and kerosene by as much as P1.50 per liter to "reflect the increase in international product prices," said vice president for communications Roberto Kanapi.

The same price adjustments will be implemented by Petron Corp. and Chevron Corp. at 6 a.m. Tuesday, said Petron spokesperson Virginia Ruivivar and Chevron communication manager Toby Nebrida.

Children with seasonal flu should not be given antivirals such as Tamiflu because harmful side effects outweigh relatively meager benefits, according to a study released Monday.

In some children Tamiflu caused nausea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration and other complications, researchers reported.

The study did not cover the current outbreak of swine flu, but its conclusions suggest that antivirals may not significantly reduce the length of illness or prevent complications in children infected with the new A(H1N1) virus, the researchers said.

EVEN as the court-assisted mediation continues, Cebu City Hall will start to levy the properties of around 50 business establishments with unpaid business and real property taxes, including the proprietary schools and hospitals that sued the City.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he is always prepared to explain to the public all about the financial transactions entered into by the city regarding the construction and the sale of lots at the South Road Properties, formerly the South Reclamation Project.

A GEODETIC engineer confirmed to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña that only five hectares of the 25-hectare Balili property that Capitol bought are dry land, based on a detailed survey done four years ago.

A Mandaue city social welfare officer assigned to handle rape victims is being investigated for allegedly molesting his wards inside the City Social Services in Barangay Centro. Mandaue City Prosecutor Glynda Lupian recommended the filing of three counts of acts of lasciviousness in relation to child abuse against Apolinario Bacolod Jr., 53, for touching the private parts of two 16-year-old rape victims.

Here's good news for the senior citizens who are registered voters and residents of Cebu City. Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday announced that the city will grant each of the senior citizens an additional P2,000 cash incentive, bringing their annual incentive from the Cebu City government to a total of P4,000.

After their petition asking for the court to declare their arrest invalid got denied, the suspects implicated in the robbery of a jewelry dealer in barangay Punta Princesa will again face Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Geraldine Faith Econg as the case has been raffled off to her sala.

Colleagues of Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez in the House of Representatives have asked him to confirm if he really paid for the dinner of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her entourage on August 2 in the posh Le Cirque restaurant in New York City and to tell the public how much he spent for it.

Romualdez, who is also a banker, is the second richest member of the chamber with P477,205,715.59 in assets, according to his 2008 statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.

Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo could not explain the silence of Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez over the latter's supposed spending of P1 million for a dinner he hosted for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her party in New York last week.

An aide of Congressman Romualdez, lawyer Nick Esmale, said Daniel, the representative's brother who works as an architect in New York, paid for the dinner.

Representative Teodoro Casino of Bayan Muna party list posed this question to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, who defended the P1-million dinner at the posh Le Cirque restaurant in New York City by saying that the President can't be expected to eat in a hotdog stand.

An unkempt lot located in a remote community in Bulacan could explain the sudden increase in President Arroyo"s net worth from 2007 to 2008, but in a way Malacañang is not telling the public. Part two of an investigation of the Arroyo family's wealth.

The Philippines has led the way for the rest of the world to adopt participatory democracy, the idea that development should be based on a concept of expanded democratic rights, according to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.

Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III did not rule out the possibility of running for president or vice president next year although at this point, he said he is more inclined "not to seek" a higher office.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said the outpouring of sympathy and support for the late President Corazon Aquino was "solely personal to her" and could not be rubbed off to political parties or personalities.

Having 70 percent of the more than 11,000 elected officials in the country in its fold, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD is confident of victory in the 2010 national and local elections, according to Gabriel Claudio, President Macapagal-Arroyo's adviser for political affairs.

National and local government officials who appeared in government-funded information commercials (infomercials) will be summoned to the Senate to explain the legal basis of allegedly using public funds to advertise themselves.

Importers and brokers have resorted to using a controversial trade agreement between the Philippines and Japan to avoid paying the correct amount of taxes to the government, a ranking customs official said on Monday.

Just like Thailand, Vietnam has a built-in advantage in the Southeast Asian Games.

RP chef de mission Mario Tanchangco said Vietnam has made a rewarding investment by constructing the residences, which will house the estimated 4,000-plus athletes set to participate in the December 9-18 meet in Laos.

Internet reports have it that Vietnam coughed up $19 million, of which $4 million was provided as a grant, while the rest was alloted as a long-term loan.

Upon completion, Tanchangco said the residential project, which will also billet sports officials and delegations of the 11 participating nations, will be able to accommodate over 4,000 athletes, who will compete in 25 sports.

Thailand, on the other hand, is upgrading the existing stadium in Vientianne as venues for soccer and track and field. That's apart from the boxing gym filled with equipment the Thais have been putting up for Laos.

Willie Revillame is on leave "indefinitely" in the wake of the controversy generated by his order to cut the simultaneous live broadcast of the procession of President Corazon Aquino's remains from his noontime show last August 3.

Already immortalized in many different ways, including by Time magazine which features her again on the cover of its latest issue (the same magazine named her Woman of the Year in 1986), the late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino will be the subject of a filmbio to be produced by Star Cinema, with Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos being eyed to portray the Icon of Democracy. Perfect casting!

Filipina Leah Delos Santos is playing the female lead role "Maria" in the German Production of the popular musical "West Side Story" from Frank Thannhäuser and Nico Rabenald to be directed by Matthias Davids.

Sources "very close" to Michael Jackson's family on Sunday denied claims by former British child acting star Mark Lester that he could be the biological father of the singer's daughter Paris, People magazine reported.